Baton Rouge braces for Gustav, many head for Memphis

Cities across the Gulf Coast are bracing for what Gustav could bring Monday morning. From Baton Rouge to the edge of Lake Maurapaw and far beyond, everyone's scurrying for safety.

In small towns on the outskirts of Baton Rouge, evacuation orders are mandatory in some places and voluntary in others.

The evacuation is mandatory in Livingston parish, where officials are forcing those who live in low-lying areas to find higher ground.

John Chewning and his son work feverishly to board up their house in Frost, Louisiana. They plan to ride out the storm at home.

"If it gets too bad, we're going to move to our church, which is just a couple miles down the road," said John Chewning. "But we think we'll be okay."

Not far away, in the city of Livingston, the evacuation is only voluntary. But Pat Tate and Sandra Jackson aren't sticking around. They rode out Hurricane Katrina in Memphis. Three years later, they're once again hitting the road for Memphis, where they'll visit Jackson's sister and hope for the best.

Local officials are asking those who stayed behind to find a safe place. There are shelters scattered across the area.

Almost every car on the road is headed north, many straight for Memphis.